The town was founded in 1864 when the first settlers from Charlevoix and Chicoutimi arrived. It became a municipality in 1882 and the parish was established in 1884 before becoming a city in 1976 after a merger. Agriculture and saw wood were the predominant economic activities across the region in addition to hunting, fishing and dairy. The railroad started to serve the area in 1917. Wood pulp became a major contributor in the local economy starting in the 1970s.[4]

In 1996, the municipality of Saint-Methode was merged with Saint-Felicien as part of a municipal re-organization in the area.[4]